


I've Turned The World Upside Down, and I've Done It All For You

by NyxieNoc



Category: Labyrinth (1986), Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Adamstudiestoomuch, Chainsawshipsit, LabyrinthAU, M/M, Ronan Lynch is Bad at Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-26
Updated: 2018-07-26
Packaged: 2019-06-16 12:43:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15437310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NyxieNoc/pseuds/NyxieNoc
Summary: A Labyrinth AU! Instead of a baby, its books. Instead of a Goblin King, its a Greywaren. Instead of a maze, Cabeswater. Instead of Hoggle, Opal. Jessie Dittley is a Ludo and you know it. Lots and lots of swearing because I like it. Also this is not a creepy underage teen being stalked by a hot old dude then nearly forced into slavery, because lets be honest, thats fucked up. Happy ending I assure you!!





	I've Turned The World Upside Down, and I've Done It All For You

“Adam it is fucking Friday night! I want to go out! You have all weekend to do this shit, lets go, Turbo Nerd!” Blue Sargent barked, inches from Adam Parrish’s face as he slouched over the several open books on his table.

“You can leave whenever the fuck you want, no one is stopping you. Some of us want to go to college,” he scowled, trying to ignore her aggressive proximity.

“Balls to that. You're no fun. I wish I’d known you were going to be a stick in the mud, I would have gone to the party without you two hours ago!”

“Again, no one is stopping you. I have shit to do and I told you that when you showed up here unannounced. Now if you don't mind, I have a shit ton of reading to do and you're not helpful.”

“Blue.....” Noah said, too exasperated to truly intervene. The three of them had this same argument frequently.

“Fine Adam. I'm an asshole if I invite you out, Im an asshole if I don't invite you out. I'm an asshole if I try to help you, I'm an asshole if I don't offer to help you. I'm an asshole if I set you up with someone, Im an asshole if I don't introduce you to someone. You know what, fuck this. I'm out. Come on Noah.” Blue spun on her heels and stomped out. Noah turned and shrugged awkwardly before shutting the door behind him, saying “later Adam.”

“HAVE FUN BEING A BOSSY BUSYBODY WITHOUT ME!” Adam shouted through the door as Blue pounded down the stairs. “Fuckingirresponsibleimmatureridiculous” he grumbled under his breath as he reorganized his piles on the table for the tenth time tonight. He stood and stretched, drank a glass of water, took a piss, and opened the window to let in cool air that soothed his hot cheeks and scalp after the row with Blue had set them alight.

Back at the table, he cracked open a yellowed and dusty book of Celtic folktales. He had to pick one to analyze for English class. Everyone else at school had internet access at home to look things like that up, but Adam Parrish had to read actual books like, well, a Turbo Nerd. The book smelled nice at least. He flipped to the table of contents and picked the one he was least familiar with, knowing his classmates would all pick the more common ones, and he liked to stand out academically. He settled on one called “The Tale of The Greywaren and The Enchanted Forest” and began reading.

The reading was dry, old-timey, and verbose. He’d only gotten a few pages in and the author was still describing a copse of trees in minute detail. His head jerked as he dozed and he slapped his own face to stay awake. He had read the same sentence ten times when he heard flapping and then a loud squawk. He jumped out of his skin and looked to the window sill where a large raven was perched, eyeing him like he was either something to eat or collect.

“Kerah!” the bird cawed

“Get the fuck out!” Adam shouted back. He went back to the book, but the bird flapped over to the desk. “Ew, gross! Get out of here, dumb ass!” he flailed his arms around trying to spook the bird out the window. The bird simply regarded him as though he was an idiot. The bird began to peck at the book of folktales. 

“Kerah!” it squawked again, and it was creepy as all hell. Wind made the book pages turn to open on an elaborate illustration of a stern and statuesque man in old fashioned raiment holding his hand under a swirling cloud no bigger than an apple, as small creatures and odd beings gazed up in wonder. The caption read, “The Greywaren weaves wondrous things from dreams...”

“Kerah!” The bird shouted, pecking at the illustration. Adam picked up the book with a loud clap and chased the bird around the tiny studio apartment and tried to herd it toward the window.

“Begone!” He shouted as the bird flapped out of the open window. Sitting again at his desk, he tried to get back to his place in the book. He spoke aloud into the empty room, “I wish the Greywaren would weave me a wondrous way out of this fucking writing assignment.”

Suddenly the wind blew in hard and the lights flickered on and off rapidly. He heard the caws of dozens of loud ravens, and the rustling of wings. He was up in a flash to slam the window closed muttering “Fucking Christ.”

“Don't fucking swear,” a loud and gravelly voice from behind him made him jump violently. He spun around to face a tall man his own age, imposing and menacing in ripped black jeans and a black tank, Doctor Marten boots and a leather jacket.

“What the fuck are you-”

“I said, don't fucking swear.”

“How did you get in here, creep?!” Adam shouted, looking for something, anything, that could be a weapon. He hefted a tome of latin poetry and wielded it like a cudgel.

“Wow, I'm flattered, but we hardly know each other,” the stranger laughed. Adam felt the book shift in his hands and when he looked at it, it was no longer a book but a ridiculously large and weighty black dildo. He dropped it instantly and when it hit the floor it turned into a mass of black feathers that flew around the room.

“Relax, Adam. I’ve brought you a gift.” He held out a stack of white paper he had produced from nowhere. Adam took it, stunned. It was printer paper with “Summary and Response to Celtic Folklore, ENG- Adam Parrish” on the cover sheet. Adam did not speak, and so the man did. “It's your assignment, all done for you so you can go out, have fun, be irresponsible for once. Come with me, we’ll find some fun. Forget about these books.” The stranger grinned a smile made for war.

“I don't know who you are, freak, and I think I might be cracking up right now, so you had better disappear and take this with you. I don't need anyone else to do my homework for me, so you can get the fuck out now.”

“Shouldn't have said that. Should not have said that,” the stranger clicked his tongue and opened the window again. With a snap of his fingers, all of Adam’s textbooks turned to ravens, and flew out the window. Adam’s hands shot up into his hair where he tugged it by the fistful as he stammered in disbelief. “Now, idiot, did you or did you not wish the Greywaren to solve your little homework crisis?”

“Yes but-”

“Its solved. Its gone. All done. Bye.” The stranger smirked.

“No no no I need those books!” Adam felt himself coming unglued as his mind reeled and his voice rose.

The stranger strode past Adam and sat on the edge of the open window. “You want your stupid books, you're going to have to come get them.” And just like that he plummeted out the window. 

“No!” Adam shouted as he ran to the sill. When he looked down he did not see a dark asphalt parking lot, but a lush green meadow in golden daylight, trees swaying gently, butterflies dancing, and not twenty feet down, but only six. Without thinking of anything but getting his books back, Adam jumped down to the earth below.

“Well that was easy,” the stranger said, appearing from nowhere to Adam’s right.

“Ok fucker, where are my books?” Adam growled.

“Oh those? They're in the center of Cabeswater.”

“What the fuck is Cabeswater?” 

“You're standing in it, asshole.”

“So tell me where they are, asshole,” Adam attempted to be menacing but the man in black only scoffed.

“It's in the center. Find the center, find your books. You have until winter. Smell you later, turbo nerd,” And the man vanished.

*********************************************************************

Ch 2

Adam paced in frustration, trying to figure this out. After ten minutes of thinking in circles, he threw his head back and roared in rage at the sky. Finally, he resigned to walking towards a large forest on the horizon. Fine, he thought, I’ll find the fucking center, get the fucking books and get the fuck out. He broke into a run.

He ran and ran and ran some more, the trees on the horizon got no closer. He stopped and bent double, wheezing.

“You will never get there like that,” an odd male voice spoke from behind him. Adam turned to find a large beech tree directly behind him, it hadn't been there a moment earlier.

“What did you say? Who said that?” Adam said. In a moment, where there had been just a tree, there was a man and a tree. The man looked young yet ancient, in funny clothes and with a strange accent.

“I said that. You’ll never get there like that. Come into the tree and take a rest.”

“No, I need to get to the center,” Adam said. “Do you know how to get there?”

“Oh no, I stay in the tree. Come on up.”

“I need to go, if you cant help, Im leaving.”

“Okay, thank you for your time,” the odd man said and then there was just a beech tree once more. Adam walked around the tree, touching the bark, looking up into the branches, but the man was simply gone. “Try the other tree” the odd voice came again, but with no one attached to it. It seemed to come from inside the tree.

“What other tree?” Adam said aloud as he looked to the horizon once more. Where there had just been fields and grass, there was another tree.Two trees actually, growing tall side by side they formed an arch and a path appears between them. Adam squeezed through sideways and found himself in an orchard. When he turned around to where he had come from, the field was gone, the beech tree gone. Just orchards as far as he could see. He thought he heard a soft voice and he walked toward it, as much as he could, being deaf in one ear made it hard to follow sounds. 

In a small clearing he spotted a dingy little girl with short blonde hair under a tam, and a grimy wool sweater over what appeared to be...goat legs? Little cloven feet and fawn colored furry limbs swayed from a low branch where the child ate apricots one after the other and flung the pits at buzzing insects.

“Ha! Ninety Nine! Take that, loser!” She crowed, jabbing a finger at a twitching bug on the ground. Adam thought it looked awfully large for a bug and crouched to see that in fact it was a large bee made of gleaming brass clockwork. The bee revived and crashed into Adam, right between his eyes before frantically escaping. The child, having seen it all, laughed so hard she had to hang on to the tree to keep from falling off the branch. “Oh! Oh that's funny. You really are an idiot!” She said, pointing at Adam. Adam stood stock still, nonplussed, until she quieted.

“I don't suppose you know the way to the center of the forest?” Adam asked with an exasperated sigh.

“As if I would tell you, even if I did know!” She burst into laughter again and he stormed off once more. He’d been going for another few minutes when he felt something hard bounce of the back of his head. He turned quickly and heard a giggle but couldn't find the source. He trudged on. Moments later, another something bounced off his shoulder, and he spun around angrily.

“Either help me or fuck off, urchin,” he growled.

“Go that way,” he heard her say.

“What way?!”

“That way!” She shouted as she dangled upside down from a tree just a foot away from Adam, her arms crossed over her chest, index fingers pointed in opposite directions. Adam noticed a little leather bag tied to her sleeve, and reached up and snatched it and took off running. “Hey, that's my stuff, asshole!” She said, plopping to the ground below and scrambling after him. She was nimble but his legs were easily twice as long and he outpaced her effortlessly. She continued to call after him, and he just laughed.

“Suppose you wish you’d helped me when I asked, huh?” He shouted over his shoulder. He ran and ran and ran until he collided with a giant. He hit the mountain of a man and went sprawling. The girl caught up with him and reached to snatch her bag. Adam held it out of reach as he got back to his feet. The giant had still said nothing. He had to be ten feet tall, shoulders as wide as a small car, limbs like lumber. 

“Give it back, buttface!” She screamed.

“Nuh uh. You’ll get it back when you show me the way to the center of the forest.”

“That's not fair!” She pouted and threw herself to the earth petulantly. Adam turned and addressed the giant.

“Erm, hello. My name is Adam,” he offered a hand to shake. The giant just glanced at Adam, then the girl. Adam thought he could see the giants wheels turning ever so slowly...  
“That chore aint?” The giant drawled.

“Aint?” Adam asked.

“You know them ‘lil bugs what get into the sugar bowl?” The giant gestured at the child.

“Oh, no, she isn't my...aint. I only just met her.”

“Boy, what are you doing in this here forest? You look awful peculiar.” The giant scratched his head and then hooked both his thumbs in the straps of dusty, tattered overalls.

“I'm trying to get to the center of the forest. Can you tell me the way?” Adam asked, hopeful.

“Well,... I like the look of you so...No.” The giant said, jutting out his chin.

“Fuckin great,” Adam grumbled. He threw up his hands. “Not one soul here knows the way to the center. Great.”

“I didn't say I didn't know, I said I wasn't gonna tell you.” The giant said.

“And why not?” Adam said, crossing his arms indignantly.

“I told you, you look like a nice person. Nice people need to be staying away from...Him.” 

“Him?” Adam raised an eyebrow.

“The Greywaren, stupid,” the child piped up.

“The man in black?” Adam asked and the two nodded. “He’s the Greywaren? The guy who makes dreams real? From the book?”

“I don't rightly know about no book, but he shore is the dreamer, anyhow. Dreamt everything you see here. These trees, this earth, those birds, this fruit. Her. Me.” 

“Well, if you can't tell me or won't tell me how to get to the center, can I at least walk with you a ways?” Adam asked, not sure what else to do or what to make of the Greywaren information.

“Ah spose so,” the giant shrugged. “I’m Jesse.”

“Adam.” They both looked over at the child who had stood and was brushing off her sweater.

“Opal,” she grumbled.”Are you going to give me my stuff or what?”

“Are you going to be nice?” Adam asked.

“Im a fucking delight!” she said before snatching the bag back.

The three of them set off into the woods beyond.

**************************************************************

Ch 3

Opal lagged behind the other two, picking fruits and throwing their stones, finding shiny rocks, nibbling on a twig. She passed a large tree when she heard, “pssst! Orphan!”

She turned to see the Greywaren perched high in a tree above her. “I told you my name is Opal, not orphan,” she scowled.

“Whatever. Hey, I need you to do me a favor. I need you to lead that guy away from the center of the forest. Take him to Winter.”

“What's in it for me?” she asked skeptically.

“I’ll give you all the shiny metal paper you can eat,” he grinned.

“Pass,” she shrugged.

“Okay then, if you won't do it, I’ll give you feet with toes. Little pink toes.”

“You wouldn't!” She cried.

“Try me,” the Greywaren glowered.

“Fine, but I want the white squeaky stuff and the metal paper,” she said, setting her lips in a firm line.

“Deal, now get to work.” And then he vanished.

 

*************

Back in the center of the forest, the Greywaren lounged in a large chair made of trees and covered in plush moss. He flipped through the stack of books he had stolen, sneering and mocking. “sic dolor ipse est qui cogitat” he muttered. He pulled a spyglass from his jacket pocket and held it to his eye. It did not show him the view before him, but a bird’s eye view of Adam walking along near Jesse, Opal trailing behind. He smirked. “Just a few more hours and you’ll be all mine.”

*******************************************

After eons of walking and seeing nothing but trees they finally came to a path in the ground, and shortly after, rounded a corner to find an old man in a waistcoat and trousers sleeping slumped against a fallen tree, an elderly overweight small breed dog dozed draped over the man’s head. As Adam approached, the dog began to bark madly, and startled the old man awake with a jolt.

“Huh? Wassit?” the man spoke with a posh British accent.

“Sorry Sir, I'm Adam. I didn't mean to wake you.”

“Oh, oh dear. Well, you're out of place aren't you, young man,” the old man offered his hand, which Adam took. “Mallory. Now, my dear boy, whatever are you doing here?”

“I need to get to the center of the forest before winter, whatever that means. Do you know the way?”

“Oh dear. I did once, long ago, but I’ve forgotten I'm afraid.” Mallory said forlornly, and Adam was crestfallen. “I do, however, know that the Ravens are always watching, and where you see them fly they are most likely headed home to roost with...Him.”

“The Greywaren?” Adam asked.

“Hush now, the trees have ears. They also speak Latin, I'm afraid.” Mallory shook his head as if trees that spoke Latin were terrible things. “I'm sorry I can't be of more help, but I think you ought to worry, Summer is nearly here and you’ll not make it if you tarry.”

Mallory’s words made very little sense and he looked to Jesse who only shrugged. “Thank you sir. Sorry again for waking you,” Adam said as he stood, but when he looked at the old man once more, he was again fast asleep.

“This is total bullshit,” Adam said, stalking off in a random direction. 

“I don't know what you did to get his attention, but he must really want to mess with you. He doesn't usually bother with people,” Opal said, skipping along.

“Well I was doing just fine without him, and I can't wait to be done with him. This is such a pain in the ass. Nothing here makes sense, no one here knows a damned thing, and the ones that do won't tell you,” Adam said wearily. He continued to grumble and gripe until he noticed there were no sounds of footfalls in the leaf litter other than his own. He looked around for Opal and Jesse, and they were nowhere to be found.

“Ready to give up yet?” A voice came from everywhere.

“No. I'm almost done with this crap and then I'm out of here.”

“Is that so?” The Greywaren appeared. 

“Est omnino tam,” said Adam with a smug grin.

“Oh you think you're hot shit? The trees work for me. They won't tell you jack shit!”

“We will see about that. I can play charming when I need to.”

“Well if it’s so easy then you won't miss Autumn at all!” 

“What does that even mean?”

“Look around genius. Anything different from when you arrived?” The Greywaren gestured around the trees. Adam had noticed. When he had started out, it had been a balmy spring day with dewy grass and a light breeze. Now it was humid, hot, sticky and everything was wilting around him. “We don't do time here, not in the linear way you do. Time is a circle here. It's all times at the same time. You happen to be standing in Summer. Winter is closer than you think. And when it comes, you're stuck here forever.” The Greywaren teased, and Adam loathed it, but even while loathing he noticed how strikingly handsome and enigmatic he was. 

Adam placed a palm on the tree next to the Greywaren’s face where he leaned. Adam did not miss the way the Greywaren took in the view of Adam’s long fingers as they clung to the bark, and he did not miss the way the Greywaren’s tongue poked out from between his lips for just an instant before the Greywaren swallowed.

“Listen, psychopath, just give me my books and let me go,” Adam said levelly.

“What would be the fun in that?” The Greywaren laughed, and Adam wanted to punch him in his handsome face. The Greywaren whistled and held his arm out and a giant Raven landed on him, squawking “Kerah!” and Adam recognized it from his window. They Greywaren reached to stroke her and spoke softly to her as she nipped his ears and fingers. Adam was caught off guard watching him be sweet to the bird, but the moment passed when he heaved the bird to the sky and pointed up at her. “That's Chainsaw. She is always watching you. Anyhow, I’ll let you get to it. Peace out, loser.” Once again he was gone, and Adam was alone.

He wandered, for how long he didn't know. He sat on the ground and threw rocks at trees.

 

“Tu mihi ligna volo tibi dicere aliquid?” Adam asked aloud, feeling ridiculous.

“Salve, Magnus,” whispered a chorus of leaves and branches. 

Magician? What did that mean? Adam tried again. “Quomodo centro ad silvam?”

“Non enim omnia media, magi.” Adam sighed. The trees were unhelpful as well, it seemed. 

“Et ingens ubi puer ibimus?” He attempted to at least find Opal and Jesse.

 

“Et pavot Haemonias eos.” Witches? This place has witches too. Fantastic.

“Thanks for nothing, trees,” he said, standing and following the path once more.

************************************

He arrived at a clearing sometime later and noted two identical trees next to each other. They seemed to have... faces. He may as well try. 

“Uh, Salve?” Adam tested. Eyes flipped open on both trees. One pair immediately rolled to the sky. A mouth of bark began to move and a feminine voice heaved an annoyed sigh. 

“Colin. Colin!” The first tree said. The second tree, ostensibly “Colin” rolled his eyes as well and regarded Adam.

“Yes, light of my life?” The tree known as Colin replied in a sardonic tone that betrayed the loving words he spoke.

“Shut up dickwad, there's a boy here. He spoke Latin or whatever. That's your problem.”

“Just because you're more concerned with your foliage than your education doesn't make him my problem. Hey- what do you want?” Colin finally acknowledged Adam.

“I need to get to the center of the forest. Do you know the way?” Adam asked, knowing better than to be hopeful this time. He did not expect to be laughed at. The trees cackled at him as if he were the stupidest thing they had ever seen. “So that's a no?” 

“Sweetheart, you just run along now. Forget about the center. Its not going to happen,” The female tree simpered.

“Now, Piper, for all we know the Greywaren asked for him specifically. You know how he is,” Colin said, giving her a knowing look.

“Yeah, I do,” Piper grazed her eyes up and down along Adams body, and Adam felt like he needed five hundred showers. “And this one definitely fits into that whole....thing.”

“Point blank, kid, if the Greywaren wants you lost here, you’ll stay lost. I sure hope you didn't make some sort of deal or challenge with him, and if you did I hope you don't mind losing.”

“I do. Listen, if you can't tell me where the center is, can you at least tell me how to get to the witches?”

“Oh, he wants the witches now!” Piper erupted into peals of shrill cackles.

“You officially have no sense whatsoever,” Colin smirked. A tree smirked. This just got weirder every minute. “But if you want witches, who are we to deny you? Walk between us, you’ll find them.”

“Thanks?” Adam said, glad for at least one answer in this whole fiasco.

“Don’t,” Colin scoffed. As Adam stepped between them he immediately plummeted and landed in a dark cave, on top of a squishy, bony lump. The lump groaned. It was Jesse the Giant. Adam’s eyes adjusted to the dim light. He heard an insistent “shhhhhh!!!” directed at him, he hoped it was Opal, before a ball of fire appeared in the center of the cave, illuminating a pale hand under it. The hand walked around the cavern placing small amounts of the fire into little pockets in the rock wall until the cave was well lit. In the new light Adam spied a wispy little woman in a flowy gauzy frock, white waves of hair floated like seaweed down to her waist. Adam turned in time to see Opal scowl at him from beside Jesse. Adam leapt up to allow Jesse to sit upright and waited to see what happens next.

“Oh hello magician. It's so nice to see you,” the woman in white squeaked.

“Oh is Coca-Cola here already?” Another voice, this one loud and wry emerged from the dark corners, before a large nut brown woman with expansive natural black spirals sauntered up with her own palmful of fire. Adam looked down and remembered he was wearing his faded red coca-cola tee shirt. That didn't explain how they seemed to know him.

“Oh good, I was wondering when he would get here, I made muffins,” said a third voice, this one warm and even. Another woman appeared with a basket. She looked like very much like Blue, only older.

“Can anyone please be straight with me and tell me what is happening and why you know who I am?” Adam asked.

“Oh we know you dear because we see you every time you visit,” Pale blonde said.

“I've never been here before,” Adam insisted.

“Of course not. You've never been here. You've always been here. What's the difference?” 

Adam only sighed and shook his head.

“Come dear, have a muffin,” said the older version of Blue. Adam sat on the mossy floor near the women, Opal and Jesse followed and sat as well.

“I am Persephone, this is Calla Lily, and Maura, we are the one who are three, maid, mother and crone,” Blonde said.

“Watch who you call crone, chickadee. I'm not much older than you,” Calla sniped.

“That's true, but I am a maiden and Maura is a mother, so that leaves you...” Persephone said, busy handing out warm muffins to the sitting guest.

“Now, is this the one where you know you're a magician or the one where you don't know yet?” Maura asked, picking the fruit out of the top of the muffin and popping the bits into her mouth.

“I think it's obvious this is the one where he doesn't know,” Calla said.”You're the magician of this forest, you know that?”

“I do not know that or what that means nor am I interested in being the anything of this forest,” Adam grumbled as he ate his muffin.

“Well what you're interested in is irrelevant. You are the magician of Cabeswater,” Calla said.

“What the fuck does that mean?!?!?” Adam asked crossly.

“Oh dear I forgot how angsty he was the first time,” Maura stifled a laugh.

“Adam, eat your muffin. Then we will show you,” Persephone smiled.

When he’d finished, Persephone sat facing him, their legs both crossed. She held her ball of fire, it glowed white. “Now, Adam, you need to unfocus your eyes and sink into the fire. Don't look, just see.”

He was willing to try anything now to get out of this place and Persephone made him feel at ease, and the muffin had been surprisingly filling. He stared hard, for a long time, but did not see the point. A few times he tried to ask questions but was gently shushed. He began to get bored, and his mind wandered to the things he needed to do this week at school and work and before he realized it his eyes unfocused and he felt as though he were slowly diving into the pleasantly warm fire. He began to see images float past him. Him walking in Cabeswater, the Greywaren, Opal, Jesse, trees. The scene before him narrowed and he saw himself from above, on his hand and knees his hands buried beneath the earth, tendrils of vines and flowers winding up his arms. He gasped and fell back into his body and once again was in the cavern with the witches.

“Do you understand now?” Maura asked.

“No. Not at all. Not even a little,” Adam said.

“Well, you will. But you need to get going, Summer is waning, and you don't get Autumn this time,” Persephone said, giving his arm a light squeeze. 

“Okay but how do I get there?” Adam said, standing and brushing off his jeans.

“It's not how, its who. You need all of them when you get to him.”

“All of who?”

“Whom.”

“Augggghhhhhh....” Adam groaned.

“Now now, that never helps. Just head on this way. When you find the others, the center will appear. Off you go!” Persephone gestured to Jesse and Opal who stood and followed her, Adam trailing behind. She pulled aside a curtain of vines and they stepped out of the cave and into the light of day.

“See you next time!” Persephone waved.

“What?” Adam asked, confused more than ever.

********************************************************************

Adam collected Jesse and Opal and they chose a random direction to walk in. Adam tried to explain that supposedly he was going to collect a few more people or creatures and then the center of Cabeswater was going to appear, and, inevitably they would have some kind of showdown with the Greywaren...or something.

The dark area waned and they stepped into a new sort of area. There were trees as always, but they weren't the beeches and oaks and dogwoods they had seen before. These trees stretched tall into the sky. Their bark was red and hairy, and even Adam, Jesse, and Opal holding hands couldn't reach all the way around some of them. Adam recognized them from books as redwoods, though he wasn't sure real redwoods got this big. He liked it here, it was quiet and nothing gross or annoying was traipsing around. In a large ring of the giant trees, sunlight filtered down to warm a patch of fallen needles and bark. It looked cozy and inviting, and Adam plopped down to rest.

Opal, full of endless energy, cantered around and chewed on the shredded bark. Jesse leaned on a log and fell asleep almost instantly, and as he snored like a bulldozer, butterflies came from anywhere and everywhere to settle on him, until he was completely obscured by the creatures, and as just a mountain of colorful wings.

Adam wished one would come to him. He didn't speak aloud, just a thought, and one did. The butterfly was as large as his palm and blue. If he had been more perceptive he might have noted that the blue was the very same color as his eyes, but most folks would miss a detail like that, Adam was no exception. 

Opal went missing momentarily, but when she appeared she was sniffling. She sat down a few feet away from Adam and flicked him pouting forlorn looks. Finally, he asked the little girl what was wrong.

“Nothin’” she sniffed. “I fell is all.”

“Can I see?” He asked, remembering with more clarity than he wanted what it was like to be an injured child with no one to comfort him. Opal only sniffled and dragged her dirty sweater across her upper lip and then stuck her other arm out. Adam scooted closer and gently slid the sleeve up to her elbow. She hissed and squeezed her eyes tight and he saw an angry patch of road rash from wrist to elbow.

“Oh, yeah, thats not pretty,” he said. He wished he’d had the first aid kit he kept in his car. He didn't even have a handkerchief or a tissue. He wanted to do something. He thought about the witches and the butterfly and he closed his eyes and just thought. He thought of one of his house plants, an aloe. He kept it to use on the sunburns he occasionally got working outside. When he opened his eyes, an aloe plant had appeared nearby, in an area that aloes did not grow, and where there certainly hadn't been anything like it before. He snapped off a piece of the succulent, and held it up close. It seemed every bit the same as the one at home so he crossed his fingers it wasnt poison and lightly touched his fingers to the seeping fluid.

“If I put this on, it might feel weird but it will help,” he said. Opal shrugged petulantly. Adam gently brushed the wet end of the plant along her scrape. He massaged in the slimy trails and watched in wonder as her skin closed before his eyes, pristine and unmarred. Adam, always analytical wanted to know if he could think another plant into existence so he closed his eyes and thought of a strawberry plant, and when again he opened them, there was a patch of them, all bearing ripe red fruit. He and Opal collected and ate them, they were the best he’d ever tasted, and the plants replenished themselves over and over. They even woke Jesse to share, but he grumbled that he only ate spaghetti-o’s and was once again covered in a blanket of butterflies.

Adam had almost forgotten the reason he was here in the first place. Reluctantly he stood and brushed off his pants, pulling Opal to her feet and rousing Jesse to continue their aimless plod. The redwoods gave way to willows, lichen dripping from the canopy, ferns, and a wet smell. The smell intensified, having begun a pleasant and familiar odor that Adam associated with hunting for frogs in the creek behind the trailer park, (oddly, it was almost exactly that smell if he thought about it) to a stink that filled his nose and mouth. They continued on until their eyes watered and they reached the edge of a large, murky swamp. The smell had evolved from the scent of wet earth and rocks to one of cigarettes, beer, piss, overflowing garbage cans, and the flatulence of a sweaty man who treated his body like a garbage dump. With disgust, Adam recognized these smells as well.

“Gross, huh?” The Greywaren appeared, his raven on his shoulder, a creepy looking gas mask over his face. His voice came out weird and echo-y, “Im pretty proud of how I was able to get all the individual smells worked in there, so many layers!” He spread his arms triumphantly.

“What the hell is this place?” Adam asked, looking back to see Opal gag and Jesse hold his nose. “I can taste it in my mouth.”

“Its Stankland! Don't you like it?” The Greywaren teased. No one liked this place. No one could.

“Of course not, why would I?” Adam spat. 

“I thought it might remind you of home!”

“Fuck you.”

“Awwww, don't be like that. I made it just for you. Real talk though, don't touch that water with anything, or you’ll always be a Stanklandian. No outrunning that shit. It won't wash off,” Ronan warned with a wicked grin. “I gotta get out of here, Greywaren business to see to. Have fun!” He clapped his hands and Opal, Jesse, and Adam found themselves on a tiny island in the center of the swamp.

“Mother fucker,” Adam hissed. “What do we do now?” 

“Im not swimming,” Opal said.

“If it aint too deep I’d carry y’all,” Jesse started to say but Adam waved at him dismissively. 

“No, you can't do that. You cant smell like trailer trash forever, I won't let you. No one deserves that, “ Adam insisted, though he thought of one person who maybe did deserve that.

“Ahoy-hoy!” A voice boomed from the shore behind them. They turned to see two men on the shore opposite the one they had arrived on. One man had black hair that stretched straight up to the sky a foot above his head. He wore something like a modernized Jester outfit. Loud colors and louder patterns and a structure that hurt Adam’s eyes to look at. The other looked like, well, a Ken doll. Hair so perfect it didn't look real, and atop sat an honest to god crown. He had perfectly proportioned limbs and a smile that didn't come to anyone without thousands of dollars in dental work. He wore shoes in the shape of small rowboats. Boat shoes, Adam thought. His pants seemed like the khaki’s Adam had to wear to school but something about them was off. Adam would later discover that they were made of carefully sculpted sheets of ancient and browned parchment paper. And his shirt, the fucking shirt, it shifted in color like an octopus, from a sickening pink to a garish yellow, then a jarring turquoise, an obnoxious orange, lilac...Ugh. And who fucking says “Ahoy-hoy” that isn't eighty years old?

“Um, Hi, “ Adam shouted. “I don't suppose you know how to get off this island, either of you?”

“Seeing as it only just appeared, I'm afraid not. Who are you?” The Ken doll asked, cupping his hands around his mouth to project, though it was entirely unnecessary.

“Uh, I’m Adam.”

“Adam the what?!” 

“Ummmm, Adam The Magician?” Adam said, it seemed as plausible as anything else.

“Oh, yes, Adam The Magician. We’ve heard of you!” Ken doll continued to shout. Though Adam shouldn't be surprised by anything at this point, this statement surprised him anyhow. “I am King Gansey, and this is my companion and entertainer, Henry.” The jester waved.

“Hello Magicianman!” Henry shouted cheerfully.

“This is Opal, and Jesse,” Adam gestured. The other two waved. “So, Um....We need to get out of here. Any ideas?”

“Oh yes, so many! But none that pertain to your predicament I'm afraid!” King Gansey responded good naturedly as if being stuck in a stank swamp was just a minor problem.

“Awesome. Just Awesome,” Adam said, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. He turned back to Jesse and Opal. “Any ideas?”

Opal only shrugged, but Jesse looked to be working on something. Finally he spoke, “Ah spose I could summon some logs,” as if that were just a thing people said regularly.

“Whatever works. Anything at this point,” Adam shrugged. Jesse tipped his head back and whistled like one might for some old junkyard dog. It was loud, ear piercing even. And when it was over, a log rolled from a distant shore and floated to the little island. Jesse whistled three more times and three more logs appeared.

“Y’all make a path now,” Jesse gestured towards the logs as though they could hear him. Maybe they could. The logs lined up end to end, bridging the gap from island to the shore where King Gansey and Henry waited. They didn't look at all surprised at Jesse’s unique skill. Things like this must just happen all the time around here, Adam guessed.

“Who is going first?” Adam asked, dubious of the stability of a floating log bridge.

“Now, them logs are jus fine, boy. You just go on across, don't you worry none,” Jesse said.

“I’ll go,” Opal said, and her little hooves danced over the logs and in an instant she was on the other side. 

“Ok, then. Guess I’ll just go...” Adam shrugged and tried not to think about splashing into the stank. He nearly lost his balance at one point, but made it safely. Jesse was right behind, strolling as if he were not a giant on a bunch of floating logs. “Wow, Jesse, that was amazing, thanks.”

“Indeed thank you sir giant!” King Gansey flourished and Henry did spirit fingers behind him, grinning widely.

“Ok, so, we need to get to the center of Cabeswater. Do you know the way?” Adam asked.

“Of course not!” King Gansey said as if it were the world’s best news.

“Ok, then, we’ll just keep going then. Good to meet you.” Adam said and began stomping off away from the swamp shore.

“Oh I'm afraid not Magicianman!” Henry said, chasing him down and blocking his path.

“And why not?” Adam said, already irritated.

“Oh, Um, it's just that no one is allowed to leave the swamp,” King Gansey smiled.

“Why not?” Adam asked, incensed.

“Well, because, um, because I didn't say so?” Gansey shrugged.

“So....” Adam paused, confused. “Can you say so?”

“I... I guess I could. It never occurred to me. No one ever asked!” Gansey and Henry both grinned.

“Okay, well I’d really like it if you would,” Adam said as patiently as he could.

“Oh! Well, of course. Um,... You may leave Stankland!” He proclaimed in a unique and firmly powerful voice. As he spoke, fronds of vegetation parted and provided a path.

“Thanks!” Adam said, shaking hands with King Gansey and Henry. He waved Opal and Jesse along and headed down the path.

“Oh Adam!” King Gansey cried.

“Yes?” 

“May we, I mean, can Henry and I come along? We don't like it here.”

“Oh,” Adam thought. “I guess.”

“Top shelf!” King Gansey bounded along and patted Adam on the back with one broad hand. “Henry! Were going on an adventure!” 

Henry came along too, quickly making friends with Opal who tugged him by the hand down the path.

“Yee haw,” Adam said sardonically.

************************************************************************

After some twists and turns and roundabouts that Adam was certain were put on the path on purpose to make him all the more frustrated, the swamp landscape gave way to dry, grassy hills stretching as far as he could see. They set off to the tallest to get a view of the land and maybe guess where they might go next. Unfortunately, the top of the hill showed them only more hills. They all sat despondent. Even King Gansey made it his duty to look glum, though he wasn't sure what about.

“Im hungry,” Opal grumbled.

“Im so tired,” Adam grumbled back.

“My dogs are barkin’,” Said Jesse.

“I also am greatly displeased with the unfortunateness of the situation. Say, Adam, why is it again you are here amongst Cabeswater and my constituency?” Gansey said, using so many multi-syllable words that Adam felt he were studying for the SAT. 

“You know, it started with the Greywaren stealing my books and taking off, then it escalated to me needing to find them before winter or I would be trapped here forever. Then he said we would skip fall, and he’s been popping up here and there to be a dick for no reason. Somewhere along the line, the forest decided I am the Magician of Cabeswater, and I still don't know what that means. I did summon plants though. Here, watch, I’ll do it again.” Adam said, focusing his mind on an image of picking a fat ripe fig from a laden tree. When he opened his eyes, a fig tree had indeed appeared behind them, branches drooping with heavy fruit.

Jesse, Henry and Opal climbed into the branches to eat their fill of the figs as King Gansey stared in astonishment.

“What about you? You look almost normal. What are you doing here? If the Greywaren is the creator here, how is it that you are King of Cabeswater?” Adam asked, munching on a fig Opal had tossed down. 

“Oh dear me no, I'm not King of Cabeswater. I'm just King.”

“I don't get it.”

“I don't either. I don't have any sort of domain or subjects, at least, I don't think I do. Henry and I shelter in Castle Monmouth somewhere around here.” King Gansey waved vaguely.

“Don't you know where it is?”

“No, but when I need it, it's there.” King Gansey smiled beautifically. If he were not so friendly Adam would think him grandiose, but he had to admit he enjoyed his company. It had been a long journey and the conversation surely helped break up the monotony.

“Adam, watch!” Opal shrieked as she tucked her body and rolled down the hill. Henry was right after, both of them laughing as they crashed at the bottom of the hill. They raced back up to the top, the two of them had made fast friends. They tugged at Adam and King Gansey until they agreed to also roll down the hill. Jesse had begun to snore and collect butterflies once more. Adam knew he ought not to waste time, but for the first time in forever, here in Cabeswater, and just in life in general, he was having a moment of unfettered happiness. He was so damn serious all the time. He could spare ten minutes to be an actual teenager. He crossed his arms over his chest as he lay on his back at the top of the slope, closed his eyes and pitched himself into a log roll and began flying down the hill. It was bumpy and jarring, and fast and dizzying and he shouted laughter as the bottom approached. However when he had almost reached the bottom and was bracing to stop, he fell straight though the ground.

********************************************************************************

He landed abruptly on a hard wooden floor. Looking around the first thing he noticed were beautifully made antique looking chairs, tufted red velvet with brass tacks and clawed feet. Bird claws. Soft stained glass lamps furnished ornate side tables, and all around, from floor to ceiling books. So many books. He stood and walked to the closest shelf. Each book was bound in supple leather, the gilded titles gleaming on their spines. Beowulf, Frankenstein, Charlotte’s Web, The Brothers Karamazov, Wuthering Heights, The Works of Moliere, Shakespeare, Ibsen, Goethe. He saw Dickens, Keats, Shelley, Kerouac, Kesey, Shirley Jackson, Chaucer, Robert Anton Wilson, Vonnegut, Palahniuk, Orwell, Huxley. It went on and on. On another shelf were books that to his knowledge had never been written, like Shakespeare's Best Fart Jokes, and H.P. Lovecraft’s Happy Fuzzy Creatures That Want to Cuddle. 

Still more shelves held books of any math one could ever want. All the languages, even Klingon and Esperanto. There was physics, history, religious texts.

“Like it? I made it for you,” A voice came from behind Adam, making him jump ten feet and drop the book of excerpts from Einstein's personal diary. Adam spun to see the Greywaren leaning, always leaning with a soft smile. For once he wasn't mocking, menacing, or dismissive. He genuinely looked like someone who’d given a gift and was hoping it pleased the receiver. With these softened features, the already strikingly handsome man became beautiful in his gentle posture and expression. Adam would not, could not allow himself to be distracted.

“Is this the center of Cabeswater? Did I find it? Am I done?” Adam asked.

“Oh,” the Greywaren seemed disappointed, “ No, Its your library. All your favorite things are here, you can stay here as long as you like. Come, I’ll show you.” The Greywaren reached for his hand and before Adam could avoid it, he found his palm touching the Greywaren’s own. He willed himself to let go but found that he could not, his mind and body at war with one another. The Greywaren’s hand felt as though it fit into Adam’s perfectly, like lock and key. It was pleasantly warm and soft to touch. Adam couldn't remember the last time anyone had actually touched his body without hurting him. Against all better judgement, he allowed the Greywaren to lead him.

They unrolled massive maps of the stars, and smaller maps of Atlantis, Mordor, Wonderland...They donned gloves and looked over dead sea scrolls, and Adam held his breath, afraid they would crumble to dust. The Greywaren guided him by the shoulders to this shelf, pulled him by the elbow to another, covered his eyes and walked him to the original copy of The Odyssey. They stood shoulder to shoulder as they read unpublished Batman comics and tried to decode alien languages. The back of Adam’s mind was saying things like “Winter! Time is running out! He means to trap you here! Run!” But those thoughts were shoved aside by naked wonder combined with the quenching of a thirst he had not known he had, and now he was intoxicated.

“Where did all these come from?” Adam asked at last.

“I told you, I made them. I made everything here. I made it for you.” The Greywaren smiled, even blushed and he slid his grasp from Adam’s elbow until only his index finger linked with Adam’s own.

“Why? Why for me? Why me?” Adam asked, wariness creeping in.

“So you never need to leave. I’ll make you anything you want, for as long as you’ll let me. You wont need to work, you don't need school, you’ll want for nothing, just stay. Stay and be mine,” the Greywaren pled with his eyes, then lifted Adam’s hand to his lips and placed the softest kiss just across the back of his hand.

Adam snatched his hand away. The spell had broken and he felt panic rising. He had to get out of here, had to get away. He didn't want a life in captivity, he’s already done everything he could to escape it once. If he couldn't come and go as he pleased, if he didn't have the power to make his own life for himself, he didn't want it. No amount of luxury or devotion could change that Adam Parrish valued his autonomy over all other things. He took off running.

He frantically searched for a door, a window, and anything, the Greywaren had chased him pleading with him not to go and Adam felt a pang of empathy for the man even as he ran from him. For all the things the Greywaren had, he still wasn't happy. He was as lonely as Adam was. Adam rounded a corner, hearing footfalls approach quickly, and spotted a round window with a view of Cabeswater. With no other options, Adam had no choice but to toss an iron and stained glass lamp through the glass, which shattered. Adam jumped out.

*****************************************************************************

Adam jolted awake, his eyes flashed open and he found four faces staring down at him. Relieved shouts of “Adam!” “Magicianman!” and “You Idiot!” punctuated an echoing chamber. Adam sat up on an old leather couch in the middle of what appeared to be an abandoned and decrepit factory. Opal and the others were crowded around him and looked as if they had been for awhile.

“Where are we? What is this?” Adam said, scrambling to his feet.

“Welcome to Castle Monmouth!” King Gansey announced, spreading his arms wide, clearly in love with his space.

“I need to go, I have to get out of here. Its got to be almost winter by now!” Adam said, more to himself than anyone in particular. He ran for the first door he saw, and opened it to find a bathtub full of crockery and linens. He opened another door to find a pristinely made bed in an otherwise unadorned room. No shelves, no photos, no shoes or clothes. He shut it. He ran for the next and threw it open-

-And found his apartment. His apartment above the church just as he left it, the light still on the cardboard box he used as a side table, the window still open, his homework still spread over the table, the pen right where he’d left it. 

“Oh thank fucking God,” Adam sighed and flopped back onto his mattress, never so happy to see his meager home in his life. He lay there catching his breath for moments when he heard thumps and rustling coming from his bathroom door. Annoyed, he stood. He hoped it wasn't a rat. He swung the door open.

“Oh HELLO MAGICIAN!!” A tall woman shouted. Thick black curls exploded from her scalp, creating a halo which contained pencils, twigs, leaves, a shoelace, chewed bubblegum, a smoking pipe, and whatever else in the world Adam couldn't see from where he stood. She wore an ostentatious red frock coat over a loud hawaiian sundress, over neon yellow satin harem pants and two distinctly different shoes, a flip flop and a combat boot. She lunged at him.

“Are you finally here to play house with your darling raven? Oh ho ho I can see he has cast his spell, oh yes, yes he has!” She shrieked and grabbed Adam by the shoulders, cocking her head and leering at him. “La la la la la, two little boys sit in a tree, k-i-s-s--”

“Shut up!” Adam shouted and pulled her claw like hands off his shoulders. “How did you get in my house?”

“Your house, magic boy? Oh ho ho! You didn't think he would let you go when he was so close to keeping you, did you? Your house indeed! Does your house have a cave in the bathroom?” She said, folding her arms over her chest and smiling with wide eyes, mad as a March hare. Adam shoved past her into the bathroom and where his shower had once been there was indeed a cave. He turned and ran for the front door and burst out where Opal, Henry, Jesse, and King Gansey were waiting, surprised to see him in the doorway, chest heaving. He looked to the window on the nearest wall. The sky was darkening, the trees were bare of leaves. He felt a snap of chill. In the distance he spotted a citadel. A flock of big black birds circled above it. It had to be the center. He had to run.

He headed for the door but Gansey called out, “Oh Adam are we leaving? Won't you wait a moment while I fetch us all coats? Its nippy out there.”

“I have to go now. You don't need to come with me, nice meeting you all and everything, but I have to deal with the Greywaren or Im trapped in Cabeswater forever.” Adam spoke through hard fast breaths. The others stood and set their faces in defiant grins.

“You're not going alone. We didn't come all this way with you to leave just when things were getting important, did you?” Opal asked, “You're not as smart as you look, I guess.”

“No, you don't have to do that for me!” Adam pled as Gansey pulled coats from a cardboard box near the kitchen-laundry-bathtub. He tossed them to Jesse, Opal, and Henry before putting on one himself and then throwing one at Adam, who caught it.

“We don't have to do anything!” Henry said, “But we want to. Lets go Magicman!”

****************************************

They took off running towards the citadel, grey clouds looming above, threatening rain or snow. Leaves crunched underfoot, and the birdsong and insects were gone. A dirt path became cobblestones and slowly formed a road and the citadel appeared. Ugly birdlike men with clicking beaks circled overhead, glowing lights formed clouds that danced above the walls. Vines covered every stone and Adam searched for a door. The road led to the citadel but where was the door?

“Hey Ugly!” Opal shouted at the horrible bird men. Adam shushed her angrily for drawing their attention. Four of them, including a massive white one with two beaks perched on the citadel walls and glowered at them. “Nobis natus!” Opal pointed in towards the citadel. With a screech, a bird man grabbed Henry and flew him over the wall. Opal ran towards Adam who caught her in his arms as Jesse and King Gansey were taken as well. The huge white one grabbed Adam and Opal together and with the flapping of mighty wings took to the sky. 

It soared over the citadel, clicking and shrieking. Adam looked down, which was a mistake. He had to be forty feet above the ground. He felt the figs coming back.

“I asked them for a ride, calm down!” Opal shouted. Adam squeezed her tighter and without thinking pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“You magnificent brat!” Adam shouted back as the bird man began to descend. Adam heard thunder rumble in the distance and made a silent wish that he could make it in time. The birdmen landed, dropped their cargo and took off once more.

“Gratias ago!” Opal called as the five of them convened in front of large iron and wooden doors to a foreboding black...barn?

“This must be the place, I have to go in!” Adam shouted.

“Were coming with you!” Gansey shouted back.

“Why are y’all shoutin so much. Lord.” Jesse said, covering his ears.

“Oh,” said Adam. “I, I appreciate you all for your help but I need to face the Greywaren alone. I can't let him hurt any of you or use you to get to me. I won't be back if I do this right so I just want to say, thank you.” He took off his battered old watch and fastened it to Opal’s wrist. 

“You were my first friend here and I couldn't have done this without you. I hope you’ll remember me,” he said with a sniff. Her eyes brimmed and threatened to spill.

“Jesse, Henry, King Gansey, you're so very brave and valiant. I won't forget you.” Adam bowed deeply and as he rose he was surrounded in a group hug.

“Magician, it's been a wonderful adventure. If you need us, you need only holler.”

“I will,” Adam nodded.

“Alright then,” Gansey raised his arms high, and in a voice he hadn't had a moment ago, he stared down the doors and commanded them, “Open for Adam” and miraculously, they did. “Excelsior!” Gansey said, shoving Adam inside, the doors slammed shut behind him instantly.

Inside the barn the dim light of glowing orbs illuminated sleeping cows, some glittering, some with oddly patterned fur, others in strange colors. Adam walked, looking around. It was so eerily silent.

“Hello? Greywaren?”

“Kerah!” echoed through the barn and the raven from before landed on the door to a paddock near Adam.

“Where is he, bird?” Adam asked, and the bird cocked her head upwards, to the hayloft. Adam steeled himself and crept up the wooden ladder.

The hayloft was... simply amazing. A babbling brook trailed along, beautiful lilies bloomed everywhere on the carpet of rich Scottish moss. In the farthest corner, what Adam could only describe as a throne was composed of branches, vines, rocks and flowers. In it, the Greywaren sat, brooding.

Adam approached. “Well, I made it. Can I have my books and my freedom please?” He said, folding his arms over his chest. The Greywaren flicked his eyes up just for an instant and Adam saw the cold blue of them flash hostility for an instant, and just as quickly, sadness.

“I went to a great deal of trouble to bring you here,” the Greywaren growled. “I dreamt a universe for you. A fucking universe. But that's not fucking enough I suppose.”

“It's all beautiful. If my autonomy wasn't everything to me, I am sure it would be a wonderful existence. But I cant.” Adam said, the empathy from earlier threatening his resolve to appear unaffected. The Greywaren rose to his feet and stalked towards Adam. Adam flinched bracing for a punch or something. Instead, the Greywaren took Adam’s chin in his hand and turned Adam to face him.

“Don't tell me you didn't feel anything, in the library,” he whispered.

“I-” Adam started, “I can't. I can't do this.”

“Cant? Or don't want to?” The Greywaren asked, hurt betraying his intimidating demeanor.

“Cant” Adam whispered.

“Fine. Whatever.” The Greywaren stalked off a few steps but then pivoted back and strode determinedly back to Adam, who was still rooted to the spot, frozen by whirling thoughts. Before he understood what was happening, the Greywaren had Adam’s face in his hands and their bodies pressed together as he captured Adam’s lips with his own. Adam felt his guts go to mush and all his skin set aflame, and against his better judgement, he kissed back. He wanted, wanted so strongly to freeze this moment forever because on the other side of it, Adam was leaving this place, leaving this man forever. It had to be done, Adam had worked too hard and too long for his freedom to lose it now. He broke the kiss.

“You're going,” the Greywaren sighed.

“I am.” Adam nodded.

“You’d be so happy here, I know you would. You’d be loved. You’d be worshipped. You’d be known. Just say you’ll stay and I’m yours forever,” The Greywaren begged, a tear sliding down his alabaster cheek.

“I am unknowable,” Adam whispered, and he watched the Greywaren’s face fall before he turned away.

“You're the magician, send yourself home,” the Greywaren said without looking at Adam, and he walked away into the shadows of the loft until Adam could no longer hear or see him. Adam was confused and angry, and...sad. After all he had been through he didn't expect to feel conflicted about leaving. And how was he to leave? What now?

Adam sat in the moss, ran his fingers through the cool brook. He pressed his fingertips into the mossy ground, breaking the surface, pressing deeper and deeper. Vines reached up in delicate tendrils and circled his fingers and wrists, just as they had in vision with the witches.

“Cabeswater, send me home, please?”

*************************************************

Adam awoke to the sound of church bells. He shook the feeling of earth from his fingers and sat upright in his plastic chair, peeling his cheek off of the pages of the book of folklore. He jumped up and ran to the bathroom to look for a cave or a crazy woman. None. He opened the door to search for Castle Monmouth but saw only his second floor landing and the stairs. Running across the small room he stuck his head out the window, expecting to see endless forest, but saw only asphalt parking lot. He was both relieved and saddened. He had been yanked out of a universe, and entire world that popped like a soap bubble when he opened his eyes. 

There was a knock at the door.

“Adam? Adam let me in I have coffee and donuts.” It was Blue. Adam swung the door open to find Blue and Noah on the landing, with two young men behind them. Adam stepped aside and let them all in. A handsome Abercrombie model type with stunning hair and a tacky polo shirt stuck his hand out.

“Hi, Im Gansey. Blue and Noah told us all about you. I hope were not intruding?” He said as Adam shook his hand, stunned. “This is Henry Cheng.” Adam turned to shake the other boy’s hand, a tall Asian guy with sky-high hair and a trendy outfit straight out of a k-pop boy band poster.

“Um, Hi?” Adam said before turning to Blue and Noah to mouth “what the fuck?”

“Blue and I met these guys at the party last night and they're super cool. We felt bad about guilt tripping you last night so we brought a peace offering. Do you have anything going on today? Want to go hiking?” Noah smiled.

“Um, Im sorry too. I need to cut loose sometimes before I blow up like I did last night. I need more human interaction or I'm going to lose my mind.” Adam said, realizing the truth as he spoke it.

“It's about damn time,” Blue whooped. “So, hiking?”

“I will do literally anything but hiking today. Also I need a shower and stuff. I just woke up.”

“Okay, why don't you meet us at Nino’s in an hour? We can decide what to do from there?” Gansey spoke with easy diplomacy.

“Yeah,...yeah I could do that.”

“Top shelf!” Gansey said, clapping his hands once. 

**********************************************************

After shuffling everyone out the door, chugging the coffee and inhaling the pastry Blue had brought, he showered and dressed and grabbed his keys and wallet to head to the pizza joint to meet his new friends, his mind still in Cabeswater, the landscape, the feeling of connection with something more, that kiss...

He was nearly at the bottom of the stairs when he nearly tripped on a little girl and a guy his age who were sitting on the steps in their Sunday church clothes. The little girl was being admonished, but she looked up at Adam and smiled.

“Opal, pay attention, you just cant call the priest a dickwad because he wouldn't give you two communion wafers. Thats the body of Christ, Opal, not a cracker.” A familiar gravelly voice spoke.

“Excuse me, I uh, need to get down the stairs,” Adam spoke, his heart pounding in his chest. The broad shoulders and buzzed scalp rose to full height and slowly turned. Adam recognized him immediately, but he didnt recognize Adam.

“Sorry. Hey, urchin, scoot.” the man said. “You live up there or something?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“We come here every Sunday and I've never seen you,” he smiled.

“I've lived here for months and never seen you either. Im Adam.” Adam stuck out his hand hoping hoping hoping there would be something, anything there that would make sense of all of this.

“Ronan,” they shook, “this is Opal.” Opal stuck her tongue out at Adam. Adam stuck his out at her.

“Well, uh, I gotta go...” Adam said, realizing that the idea of the Greywaren existing in real life was preposterous.

“Good to meet you. Maybe we’ll see you next Sunday?” Ronan smiled a genuine, unguarded smile and it lit Adam up like a supernova.

“Yeah, come say hi. You know where I live.” Adam flirted.

“Ok.” Ronan smirked. And then Adam made a beeline for his car, pulse racing, heart soaring.


End file.
